Alfred Moses

Just one last question in regard to this and it’s dealing with the integrated programs again, and services for offenders that are outlined in the strategic plan by the department. They do mention literacy and workplace skills development. Can the Minister elaborate on what type of literacy programs are in place for the correctional facilities around the Northwest Territories and how is he working with the workplace skill development? I think in one of his Member’s statements he talked about a possible program for offenders to get a pardon or something. But if you’re developing workplace skills...

Madam Chair, and further, in one section here it also talks about reintegrated strategies will be provided to assist offenders to effectively return to their home communities and families. What types of strategies are put in place for the individual so that they can become a good citizen, a good member of their communities again?

As you see in some of the news reports, we do get a lot of repeat offenders. A lot of them aren’t getting the types of services that they do need in terms of their mental capabilities, literacy, which will be another question that I will have later on is with literacy...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Justice.

What are the incarceration rates of inmates who are sentenced with alcohol and/or drug-related crimes in the NWT for the 2011-2012 fiscal year to the present?

Can the Minister provide incarceration numbers of inmates for the 2011-2012 fiscal year to the present on a month-to-month basis for all NWT correctional facilities?

Can the Minister provide the number of inmates participating or who have participated in an alcohol and/or drug-related prevention program for all NWT correctional facilities for the 2011-2012 fiscal year to...

Thank you. I want to ask the Minister, does he see trends in terms of high incarcerations during the season or over the year. Is there any specific time where we see a higher increase of individuals being incarcerated in our northern jails any time of the year? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member’s statement today, and actually I just want to make a little reference to the Minister of Justice, the Minister that’s responsible for the Anti-Poverty Strategy. He mentions every one of the Ministers on Cabinet and what they’re doing to help address the Anti-Poverty Strategy. That is great because, really, we all have a part to play in this very serious issue when it comes to the high rates of our Aboriginal people in the corrections and jail systems. I do believe that this government is taking a very proactive step, and taking the right steps...

We have some really great youth programs out there, Youth Ambassador Program, Northern Youth Abroad Program. Skills Canada is doing a great job. We do all these programs to empower our youth. Is there something that we can do to empower our volunteers and empower our youth, our workforce who provide these programs to the youth? I guess my question is: Would the Minister be willing to look at creating, coordinating and planning for a youth symposium for our volunteers for our workforce who provide these programs for youth so that they can share their stories, so that they can work the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’m going to be speaking on the Inuvik-Tuk highway. Yesterday we had a couple of strong statements and some questions in the House that gives a perception out there that our government is actually hiding something in terms of moving forward on this project and that deals are being done behind closed doors.

I sat here and I listened to it, and I felt that I had to say something today that we do have a process, and that process is waiting for the right correspondence from the federal government. The Minister sat up in the House yesterday. He explained himself. He...

Thank you. Under the socio-economic agreements, is the Minister negotiating dollars for this type of training? He did mention it, but I mean specifically for Skills Canada, because Skills Canada are a small office that do a lot of really good work and they have participants who have gone through the program who have won national awards, international awards, and it would be a great opportunity to continue to support these individuals that go through the Skills Canada program. So is the Minister negotiating specific training dollars for Skills Canada so that we can start supporting participants...

I think it’s a great idea and it’s an opportunity to evaluate programs, share what the programs are, an opportunity for organizations to give details on the programs that they provide so other organizations can jump on board, and also develop some really great partnerships. It would be an opportunity for the youth ambassadors to probably coordinate such a symposium. A lot of positives here. Can the Minister provide, possibly, a timeline, whether this is something that we can see in the ’13-14 fiscal year or ’14-15 fiscal year?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today we had a really good briefing from Skills Canada NWT and it got me thinking about youth programs and all the programs that they do with such a small office. But it got me thinking to a bigger level, and today I have questions for the Minister of Youth in regard to possibly the creation or the development of a youth symposium.

First of all, I just want to ask the Minister of Youth, has there ever been a youth symposium for youth providers of the Northwest Territories, in his knowledge as the Minister of Youth. Has there ever been a youth symposium where providers...